Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Cangming? Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Cangming? Editor: Atlas Studios Liu Qingkong naturally had knowledge of the terrain here.
However, he no longer had the time to draw it out, nor did he have the means to do so.
He could only describe the layout here briefly through verbal instructions.
Su Mo gratefully clasped his fists in thanks, but Liu Qingkong quickly waved his hand, “This is what I should do. Young Hero takes the risk, and if Yuliu Manor escapes the calamity because of this, everyone here would be immensely grateful!”
“Liu Housekeeper, you’re too kind. Please endure a little longer here. If I can rescue Master Liu, I will come to take you away.”
“Okay, then I’ll trouble Young Hero.”
Liu Qingkong bowed deeply.
After exchanging a glance with Yang Xiaoyun, Su Mo continued walking further inside.
Luo Zhen looked at Liu Qingkong and then followed after Su Mo, but whispered softly, “Don’t fully trust what he said.”
“Oh? Do you have any advice, Senior?”
Su Mo gave a half-smile.
“Liu Qingkong, as the housekeeper of Yuliu Manor, it’s unnatural for such a man to be spared for two months without being killed.
Secondly, being inside this stone chamber and unable to leave, how could he have heard so much idle talk?
I always feel there might be something mystical here.”
Luo Zhen pointed out his thoughts, which seemed quite reasonable after some thought.
However, Su Mo thought for a moment and shook his head slightly, “If he really had ill intentions, he could simply shout out loud, and we would be surrounded in an instant. Why bother with such a roundabout method?”
“Ah, this…”
Luo Zhen was stunned, feeling that Su Mo’s reasoning… seemed even more cogent.
There was an easy way; why opt for a complex one?
He touched his chin, “I still think there’s something off about him.”
Su Mo glanced at him lightly. Although this man had followed them here, Su Mo’s trust in him was still limited.
Back in the hall of Yuliu Manor, when the words ‘Ziyang Escort Agency’ were mentioned, the expressions of Monk Jing Kong from Heavenly Buddha Temple, Ling Hongxia with the Blood Mandarin Duck Saber, and this ‘ugly gentleman’ Luo Zhen seemed a bit strange.
And now… Luo Zhen claimed to be looking for an old friend, even holding a letter as evidence.
However, since entering under the Sword Tasting Tower and seeing many captives, he never seemed to search thoroughly.
Moreover, he knew too much about the Youquan Sect.
For a Demon Sect that never operated in the Southwest, how could this ‘ugly gentleman’ be so familiar with it as if counting his family treasures?
However, this was not the time to question these matters. Su Mo’s only intention here was to locate Liu Suifeng. Once he completed this escort mission, his major concerns would be settled.
As for the doubts about Luo Zhen, although there indeed were suspicions, he wasn’t necessarily colluding with the Youquan Sect. As long as he didn’t cause any trouble, it might not be a bad idea to let things slide.
With this thought in mind, he no longer pondered over it, following the terrain Liu Qingkong had described verbally, and Su Mo, Yang Xiaoyun, and the two others moved forward, proving every detail along the way.
Luo Zhen couldn’t help mumbling, “Could it be that I really wronged him?”
And as they delved deeper into this place, time and again, they saw Youquan Sect Disciples practicing using the heart blood of people.
Upon closer inspection, those who were suspended were not all dead.
Some were still hanging on, barely breathing, and some Youquan Sect members would even treat these people to delay their deaths.
Moreover, the martial artists imprisoned here, the deeper they went, the more prominent their reputations.
Walking along, Luo Zhen recognized many and kept informing Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun telepathically.
People like Little Vajra Chu Xiong, Yizhen Fengfeng Beixiao, Fiery Fire Fox Hu Sanniang… these were solo adventurers of Jianghu.
Including the Eldest Young Master of Poyu Sect, Young Pavilion Master of Lingxiao Sword Pavilion, who were also imprisoned here.
The further they walked inside, the more they could hear furious cursing reaching the heavens.
These people had their acupoints sealed, unable to utilize their martial arts, their grievances had nowhere to be vented, they could only roar in anger.
Yet among these curses, Su Mo came across another piece of information.
Among these people, some were visitors to Yuliu Manor who ended up confined here, while others seemed to have originally targeted Xuanji Valley.
However, they were abducted midway and were brought to Yuliu Manor.
Su Mo pondered in his mind, but the trio became even more careful in their movements.
Practicing disciples could be somewhat managed, indifferent to outside affairs, focusing solely on the blood in the pit.
But it was not so easy to deceive the patrolling Youquan Sect disciples.
Fortunately, all three were adept in their moves, concealing their figures and hiding in the shadows, capable of striking down enemies as quick as lightning, hence they were not discovered along the way.
Eventually, following what Liu Qingkong had said, the three of them reached a massive stone chamber in the deepest part.
What this place was originally used for, Su Mo was unclear.
Even Liu Qingkong had not explained.
At this moment, they saw a large cauldron in the room.
Below the cauldron, the fire raged fiercely, not fueled by firewood, but by numerous shriveled, withered corpses.
Those whose heads were torn off due to the Black Heart Palm had finally found their resting place here.
Inside the cauldron was boiling fresh blood, and within this blood, a blood-soaked figure sat with eyes tightly shut, displaying an expression of agony.
It was hard to determine whether this person was practicing or being tortured.
Aside from this person, there were no others around, Su Mo’s mouth twitched slightly and he asked Luo Zhen with a desperate hope of finding a dead horse to act as a living horse doctor:
“With your exceptional insight, senior, can you tell if this person is Master Liu?”
Luo Zhen seemed troubled, he looked attentively for a moment and then shook his head: “Whether he is or not, this isn’t right, the blood boiling yet not cooking him through indicates something strange, better to secure him and sort it out afterwards.”
As his words fell, Su Mo suddenly tensed, grabbed Yang Xiaoyun, pulling her behind him, just as the man in the cauldron abruptly opened his eyes, revealing eyes filled with blood!
With a shock around his body and a spread of his arms, there was a loud bang, and he shot out from the blood cauldron, bringing up numerous blood lights.
His palms crisscrossed, entwined with bloody claws, heading straight for Su Mo.
“It’s the Blood Transformation Divine Claw, be cautious!”
Luo Zhen shouted in alarm, getting ready to throw the fan in his hand, but since they were disguised as Youquan Sect disciples, the fan was hidden within the disguise, and he could not retrieve it at that moment.
At this moment, there was no time for further preparation; Su Mo suddenly raised his hand and delivered a chopping punch to the void.
Wrapped with the power of Longxiang, immensely powerful, his fist had already met the Blood Transformation Divine Claw in a blink of an eye.
A muffled bang followed, and the blood light exploded brightly!
Su Mo then steadied his footing, continuously swinging his fists, filling the air with shadows of punches.
The heavy shadows of punches and sharp blood light intertwined endlessly.
One above and one below, they exchanged more than a dozen moves in the blink of an eye.
Initially intimidated by the prowess of the Blood Transformation Divine Claw at the Sword Tasting Tower, Su Mo had used ninety percent of his full energy to protect himself. However, after a few exchanges, he found that as long as his Inner Strength was profound enough, the opponent’s True Qi could not harm him.
Feeling relieved, his punches became even fiercer.
He suddenly stopped retreating, and with a fierce punch, the myriad shadows of punches converged into a point, instantly breaking through the Blood Transformation Divine Claw, his fist aiming for the man’s chest. However, Luo Zhen suddenly cried out:
“Show mercy, this is Master Cang Ming!”
At this moment, calling for mercy, who could truly manage to hold back?
It was only Su Mo who, having attained a state where he could control Longxiang Wisdom as he wished, managed to instantly retract eighty percent of his Inner Strength, but even so, the punch to the chest sent the man flying backward, blood spurting wildly!